Motor vehicle drivers are required to negotiate traffic safely when traveling on public roads. Having an awareness of the presence of neighboring vehicles and objects is particularly important when changing lanes, either to the left or the right, or simply when operating the motor vehicle. For example, a safety device capable of automatically detecting the presence of a target vehicle in the blind spot and informing the driver whether the lane is clear or occupied will increase safety by reducing the need for the driver to take her eyes off the road while changing lanes.
What is needed is a driving assistance system that improves safety and provides driver with performance assessments while at the same time is simple, inexpensive, and reliable (i.e. not producing an unacceptable level of false detection events). Among teaching a variety of other things, certain aspects of the inventions herein have embodiments which may satisfy one or more of the above-described issues.